Holddown and register for automatic feeders



L. K. ALDRICH HOLDDOWN AND REGISTER FOR AUTOMATIC FEEDERS July 3, 1928. 1,675,525

Filed June 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N xx r x v1 82;

July 3, 1928.

L. K. ALDRICH EOLDDOWN AND REGISTER FOR AUTOMATIC FEEDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1927 Patented July 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES LESTER KYLE ALDRICH, OF SIDNEY, OHIO.

HOLDDOWN AND REGISTER FORAI ITOMAT ICF EE DERSV Application filed June 2,

The invention relates to a hold down and register for automatic feeders. In feeding paper on an automatic register, one of the most diflicult problems is to prevent the second sheet from creeping as the top sheet is pulled ofl the pile.

Irrespective of how much air is used to flutter the sheets for separation, the dra is apparent and will pull the next sheet forward against the front abutment. This causes the front edge of the said sheet to become bent downwardly thereby causing a clogging or stumbling of the sheet when the suction nozzle attempts to lift it up and take it off the pile. This drag is-particularly apparent on large sheets orsheets with heavy forms requiring heavy ink.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, practical and efiicient device adapted to be readily applied to various types of automatic feeders and capable of stopping the forward drag of the second sheet and of then moving the said sheet backwardly to itsformer position in perfect register against the rear-abutment.

The present invention solves a very difficult problem that has heretofore existed in the feeding of paper at a high rate of speed. Heretotore in automatic feeders trouble has always been experienced with the second sheet creeping. The top sheet was pulled forward so quickly, and to secure any high degree of speed the action is so extremely fast, that as the result the following sheet had a tendency to creep forwardly from oneeighth to three-fourth of an inch. Just as the suction nozzle drops down to pull off a sheet and pulled forward to the press folder or other machine, the sheet would stumble or clog. The present invention entirely eliminates this difficulty and checks the f0rward movement or creeping incident to the drag on the second sheet and then moves the second sheet into perfect register.

. With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth inthe 1927. Serial No. 196.028.

claims hereto. appended,it being understood that various changes in the form, size, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to with outdeparting from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages 66 thereof. q

p In the drawings I.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the feeder illustrating the manner in which the front edges of the sheets are bent downwardly against the front abutment causing the sheets to stumble.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofa portion of the automaticfeeder provided with a hold down and register constructed in accordance 06 with this invention, the topsheet being clear of the device and the latter being engaged with the second sheet.

v Fig. 3 is a similar .view, the device being at the limit of its downward movement, the second sheet being moved into register against the. rear abutment.

i Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the opposite side of the device, the pivoted arm and paper engaging tip being in section.

Fig. 5 is a' transverse sectional View of the device. a

. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the connections between the device and its actuating mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, but the claims define the scope of the latter. i r

In Fig. 1 of the drawing is illustrated a portion of the automatic feeder shown and described in Patent'No. 1,546,184, granted to me July 14, 1925, and at the front abutment 1, the second, third and fourth sheets of the stack or pile 2 are shown with their front edges 3 bent downwardly against the front abutment. This downward bending of the said sheets is caused bythe drag resulting from the feeding of the top sheet by the suction nozzle 4 of the automatic feeder of the said patent. The device of the present invention which checks this forward drag of the sheets and returns the second sheet to its initial position in proper register with the rear abutment 5 is illustrated as applied to applicants automatic feeder of the said patent, but it may be applied to various other automatic feeders. The device comprises in its construction a vertical support 6 consisting of a post or body arranged in upright position and preferably rectangular in cross section and provided at its upper portion with a transverse opening 7 for the reception of a shaft or rod 8 upon which the body or support 6 is mounted and to which the same is secured by a clamping screw 9 mounted in a threaded opening 10 in the upper portion of the body 6. The threaded openlng 10 extends from the upper end of the body to the transverse opening 7 and the inner end of the clamping screw engages the transverse rod 8 and firmly secures the body to the rod in proper adjustment.

The body 1 is provided preferably at the center with a transverse bearing opening 11 for the reception of a horizontal pivot 12 of an arm 13 of approximately L-shape extending downwardly and rearwardly from the pivot and carrying at its rear end a threaded stem 14 having a sheet engaging tip 15 at its lower end. The body 6 and the arm 13 may be constructed of any suitable material and the pivot 12 which in the drawings is shown integral with the arms 13 may be constructed in any desired manner and it is detachably secured in the bearing opening 11 by a cotter pin 16 arranged in a suitable perforation 17 of the pivot. The washers 18 are preferably arranged at opposite sides of the body, one of the washers being arranged between the arm and the body and the other washer between the body and the cotter pin.

The approximately L-shaped arm 13 which extends downwardly and rearwardly from the pivot 12 at an acute angle to the upper face of the stack or pile l9 rests against a stop pin 2O of the body when the device is elevated and out of contact with the paper. The stop pin 20 is mounted in the lower portion of the body but any other suitable form of stop may be employed as will be readily understood. The pivoted arm bears against the stop 20 at the rear side thereof at a point intermediate of the ends of the pivoted arm and the said stop limits the .downward and forward swing of the arm and maintains the arm normally in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing when the device is elevated out of contact with the stack. The rear end of the arm is enlarged and provided with a threaded opening 21 to receive the threaded stem 14 which is provided in itsupper end with a groove 22 for the reception of a screw driver or other tool for adjusting the stem and the tip and the stem is maintained in its adjustment by a lock nut 23 which is preferably in the form of a thumb nut.

The tip 15 which is mounted on the lower end of the stem is secured to a smooth portion thereof and it preferably consists of a sleeve of rubber tapered upwardly as shown and projecting below the stem to form a socket or cup-shaped paper engaging portion whereby it is adapted to effectively creep the second sheet and stop the forward movement of the same and also to maintain its grip on the second sheet while moving the latter back to its initial position in perfect register against the rear abutment 5.

The rod or shaft 8, when the device is ap plied to the automatic feeder of the said patent is movable vertically and is connected with a lever 25 which is the lever which operates the ratchet of the stack elevating mechanism of the said patent. The body may be connected with various other automatic feeders and while it is shown operating in a vertical arcuate path of movement in the accompanying drawings, it will function if the up and down movement is parallel and it may be operated from any available movable part. of a feeder and one or more of the devices may be cn'iployed for checking the drag on the second sheet and for returning it to its initial position.

The rod 8 which swings in a vertical arc to raise and lower the hold down and register is adjustably mounted at one end in a transverse opening 26 of a lever 27 fulcrumed on a bracket arm 28 of the frame of the feeder. The lever 27 is flllCllll'l'lGfl intermediate of its ends on a suitable pivot 29 and it extends above and below the pivot and is provided at its lower arm or portion with a laterally extending transversely disposed pin 29' which operates in a slot 30 of a vertical link 31. The link 31 is secured to and carried by said lever 25 and in its oscillation operates the hold down and register device in proper timed relation with the feeding mechanism of the machine. The. outwardly extending laterally projecting pin 29 abuts against a frame to limit its upward movement and it is swune downwardly by a link or connection 31. the upper wall of the slot 30 thereof engaging the-said pin to effect this movement. The slot permits the lever 25 and the arm to move upwardly after the pin 29 has engaged the frame and reached the limit of its upwardmovement so that the continued upward movement of the link 31 will not affect the hold down and register device. The register rod is secured in the opening 26 by a clamping screw 32. It will be noted that at the time the rubber tip of the device comes in contact with the paper the register shaft or rod is practically in a horizontal position to prevent any side movement of the sheets from the arcuate movement of the device.

In sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings, the suction nozzle 4 is shown pulling the top the sheet off the stack and thesecond sheet is dragged. The pulldown and register is descending and just as the top sheet has passed the vertical line of travel and is clear of the rubber tip, the latter engages the second sheet and retards the forward movement. This occurs when the device has completed approximately three-fourths of its downward movement and one-fourth of the downward travel is to be completed. This further downward movement of the device operates to move the pivoted arm and the rubber tip rearwardly in a horizontal direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2

of the drawing, thereby returning the second sheet to its initial position in proper register against the rear abutment 5. As the pivoted arm is arranged substantially at an acute angle to the face of the second sheet any drag or tendency to move the second sheet forward will cause the rubber tip to grip the sheet firmly and the final portion of the downward movement of the device moves the second sheet rearwardly into register. The rubber tip is automatic in its gripping action and the adjusting screw is adapted to raise or lower the tip and enables the tip to descend and engage the second sheet just as the tail of the top sheet is clear of the device. The threaded stem and the lock nut provides a final adjustment for accomplishing this result.

What is claimed is:

1. A hold down and register for automatic feeders comprising a body movable upwardly and downwardly to clear the top sheet of a stack, means extending rearwardly from the body and carried by the same for engaging the second sheet of the stack when the top sheet is clear of the device, and means operated by the downward movement of the device. for moving the said second sheet rearwardly to its initial position in perfect register.

2. A hold down and register including a body movable upwardly and downwardly to clear the top sheet of a stack, a member extending rearwardly from the body and carried by the same in the upward movement thereof and provided with means for engaging the second sheet, and means for causing said member to move rearwardly during a portion of the downward movement of the said body to return the second sheet to its initial position in register.

3. A hold down and register for automatic feeders comprising a body movableupwardly and downwardly, an arm pivot ally connected with and carried by the body and provided with means for engaging the second sheet of the stack and arranged to be moved rearwardly by the downward movementof the body whereby the second sheet is returned to its initial position in register,

, feeders comprising a body movable upwardly and downwardly, an arm pivotally connected to the body and extending rearwardly therefrom and provided with paper engaging means adapted to engage the second sheet of a stack and means for limiting the down ward and forward movement of the arm with respect to the body, said arm when engaged with the second sheet of the stack being moved rearwardly by the body during a portion of the downward movement thereof.

5. A hold down and register for automatic feeders comprising a body, an arm pivoted to the body and extending downwardly and rearwardly from the body, said body being provided with a stop for limiting the relative downward movement of the arm, and means carried by the arm for engaging the second sheet of a stack, said arm being moved rearwardly during a portion of the downward movement of the body to return the second sheet to its initial position.

6. A hold down and register for automatic feeders comprising a body, an arm piv oted to the body and extending downwardly and rearwardly fromthe body, said body being provided with a'stop for limiting the relative downward movement of the arm, and an adjustable stem mounted on the arm and provided with an elastic tip for engaging the second sheet of a stack.

7Q A hold down and registerfor automatic feeders comprising a body, an arm pivoted to the body and extending downwardly and rearwardly from the body, said body being provided with a stop for limiting the relative downward movement of the arm, and a threaded stem engaging the threaded opening in the arm and provided at its lower end with an elastic tip for engaging the second sheet of a stack, and means for securing the stem in its adjustment.

8. The combination of a feeder including a member movable upwardly and downwardly, a lever fulcrumed on the machine and arranged to swing transversely thereof, a transversely disposed rod carried by the lever, a hold down and register device mounted on the rod and movable vertically in an arc. and means carried by the said member for oscillating the lever.

9. The combination of a feeder including amcmber movable upwardly and downwardly, a lever fulcrumed on the machine and arranged to swing transversely thereof, a transversely disposed rod carried by the lever, a hold down and register device mounted on the rod and movable vertically in an arc, and a pm and slot connection between the member and the lever for oscilpin for actuating the transversely movable lating the lever. lever, a hold down and register device, and 10 10. The combination with a feeder having means for connecting the same with the a vertically movable lever, a transversely transversely movable lever.

- movable lever mounted on the machine and In testimony whereof I afiix my signaprovided with a laterally projecting pin. a ture. connection carried by the vertically movable v lever and having a slot receiving the sand LESTER KYLE ALDRICH. 

